The invention lies in the field of processing and conveying printed products, and relates to a modular processing device, in particular to a so-called collector-stapler drum which for example is applied for manufacturing an assembled printed product by way of collecting individual printed sheets and subsequent stapling. The invention further relates to a construction kit for the construction of such a processing device.
The invention is based on processing drums, as are basically known e.g. from EP-A 0 341 425 or EP-A 0 550 828. A modular processing device is known from EP-A 0 341 425. The known devices serve for manufacturing a printed product assembled of folded printed sheets, e.g. a newspaper, brochure or magazine, and comprise a drum rotatable about a rotation axis, and at least two feed stations which are arranged distanced from one another in the direction of the rotation axis, for feeding the printed sheets, as well as a stapling and lead-away station for stapling and leading away the collected printed sheets. The drum comprises a drum shaft and several saddle-like rests, which delimit pocket-like receiver parts, and are arranged one after the other in the peripheral direction of the drum shaft and are able to be moved along a closed revolving path by way of rotation of the drum. The printed sheets coming from the feed stations are placed astride onto these rests. During a rotation of the drum, a printed sheet is transported along in each case one rest, i.e. in the direction of the rotation axis, from one feed station to the next feed station, where a further printed sheet is placed astride onto it. The printed sheets, thus, describe an essentially spiral-like path around the drum. The finished product is removed and conveyed away by a lead-away station arranged in an end region of the drum. Optionally, a stapling assembly may be arranged in front of the lead-away station, in order to staple together the individual sheets. Advance elements which revolve with the rests, serve for the transport of the deposited printed sheets in the axial direction, wherein, for example, one or more advance elements are allocated to each rest. The advance elements are periodically controlled such that they firmly clamp the printed sheet halves of the printed sheets, which are deposited onto the rests, against the rests, displace them in the axial direction during a forward travel, let go of them again, and return back into their initial position without gripping a printed product. A control unit which typically comprises a control link cooperating with the advance elements and effecting the forwards travel and backwards travel of the advance elements during the rotation of the drum, is provided for controlling the advance elements.
With such collecting devices, the number of the feed stations as a rule is set in a fixed manner and is limited by the length of the drum. A later extension of the device by further feed stations is not possible. It has already been mentioned in EP-A 0 341 425 that the collection drums can be composed of sections, in order to provide a collection drum with the suitable length, depending on the number of operations carried out. A basic section should, for example, have the width of three processing stations—two in-conveyors and two out-conveyors. Further sections should have the width of one or two feed stations. Further details with regard to the design of the modules and with regard to the type of coupling may, however, not be deduced from EP-A 0 341 425.
Since such collection drums have a length of several meters, it is important for the drum shaft to be stable with regard to any sagging. Moreover, the drum should have a certain twist rigidity, so that the rests remain straight and the products are capable of being led precisely in the axial direction. With a drum constructed in a modular manner, increased demands with regard to the stability exist, particularly at the interface locations between two modules.
It is therefore an object of the invention to further develop the concept known from EP-A 0 341 425. In particular, a modularly constructed processing device for printed products is to be provided, which is simple with regard to design and meets the increased stability requirements.